Blade Sharpening Tool

ABSTRACT

A hand-held sharpening tool for sharpening tractor and lawn mower attachments blades while the blade are attached to the tractor or lawn mower. The tool includes a tool body having a grinding surface that extends away from the tool body in a substantially perpendicular direction and a second grinding surface that extending away from the tool body in an angled direction. The two grinding surfaces are located in close proximity of each other to create a grinding zone and allows for a blade to simultaneously engage both grinding surfaces. As the tool is drawn along said blade, its edge is sharpened.

REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATIONS

This application does not claim the benefit of any pending patentapplication.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a blade sharpening tool, and more specificallyto a handheld blade sharpening tool for use with blades attached totractor and lawn mower attachments without removing such attachment.

The blades of tractor and lawn mower attachments often lose theirsharpness. One method for sharpening these blades is to first remove theblade from the cutting attachment and then grinding its edge with atable grinder or other similar type of machine. This method, however, isnot efficient due to the time and difficulty associated with the removalof and subsequent grinding of the blade from the cutting attachment.

The prior art also discloses a number of hand-held blade sharpeningtools, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,927,636 issued to Epworth and U.S. Pat.No. 3,996,836 issued to Lindsay. The Epworth patent discloses a handheldblade sharpening tool having a grinding stone located within a groove,whereby the blade to be sharpened is placed within fee groove and comingin contact with the grinding stone. The Lindsay patent discloses ahandheld sharpening device having a two part molded plastic body housingtwo grinding stones and an adjustable handle secured to the plasticbody.

The prior art handheld sharpening devices are not efficient tomanufacture due to their inclusion of many small parts and multiplesettings and adjustments thereto. Thus there is a need for a moreefficient and effective blade sharpening device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventive handheld blade sharpening tool described herein satisfiesthe needs set out above. This device has an efficient design and it iseffective when used.

One aspect of the present invention includes a base which is designed tofit within the palm of the user's hand. The first sharpening stoneextends substantially perpendicular from the base and a secondsharpening stone extends at an angle away from the base. Further, thefirst grinding stone and second grinding stone are positioned relativeto each other such that a grinding zone is formed between them.

In use the user grasps the base and positions the blade to be sharpenedwithin the grinding zone and in contact with both the first and secondgrinding stone. The user then moves the device along the length of theblade and thereby sharpening the blade.

Upon reading the included description, various alternative embodimentswill become obvious to those skilled in the art. These embodiments areto be considered within the scope and spirit of the subject invention,which is only limited by the claims which follow and their equivalents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description shows the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be takenin a limiting sense, but is made for the purpose of illustrating thegeneral principles of the invention and the best mode for practicing theinvention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by theappended claims. The invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are forthe purpose of description and not of limitation.

As shown by the figures, an embodiment 10 of the inventive bladesharpening device is described herein. Embodiment 10 comprises a base 12having a first grinding surface 14 extending substantially perpendicularaway therefrom and a second grinding surface 16 extending at an angleaway therefrom.

Base 12 can be constructed from various materials including plasties andwood. Base 12 of embodiment 10 is dimensioned to be handheld by theuser. Further, base 10 includes seeming holes 18 and 20.

In embodiment 10 grinding surface 14 comprises a grinding wheel 22having an opening 18 therethrough. Grinding wheel 22 is secured to base12 by screw 24 and nut 26 fitting within opening 28 and engaging opening18. Because opening 18 is substantially perpendicular to the surface ofbase 12, grinding wheel 22 also extends substantially perpendicular tothe surface of base 12.

Similarly, grinding surface 16 comprises a grinding wheel 30 beingsecured to base 12 by a screw 32 and nut 34 with screw 32 extendingbetween the opening 36 of grinding wheel 30 and opening 20. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that the use of a screw and nut tosecure both grinding wheels is illustrative and that other fasteningdevices may be utilized. Due to the orientation of opening 20 being atan angle relative to the surface of base 12 grinding wheel 30 alsoextends at an angle to base 12.

In embodiment 10 grinding surfaces 14 and 16 are located along base 12such that grinding wheels 22 and 30 in contact or near contact with eachother creating a grinding zone 40 there between. Grinding zone 40 issufficiently large enough to allow a cutting attachment blade to engageboth cutting wheels 22 and 30.

In operation, the user holds the base in one hand and positions theinventive blade sharpener in such a manner that the blade to besharpened is located within the grinding zone 40 and in contact withboth grinding wheels 22 and 30. The user then moves the inventive bladesharpener along the blade, sharpening the blade as it moves.

While embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated anddescribed, such disclosures should not be regarded as any limitation ofthe scope of our invention. The true scope of our invention is definedin the appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appendedclaims shall be construed to include both the preferred embodiment andall such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit andscope of the invention.

1. A hand-held sharpening tool for sharpening blades for tractor andlawn mower attachments while said blades are attached to saidattachments, said tool comprising: a tool body; a first grinding surfacesecured to said tool body, said first grinding surface extending awayfrom said tool body in a substantially perpendicular direction relativeto said tool body; and a second grinding surface secured to said toolbody, said second grinding surface extending away from said tool body inan angled direction relative to said tool body, said second grindingsurface being in contact with said first grinding surface creating agrinding zone therebetween, said grinding zone configured to allow saidblade to engage both said first and second grinding surfaces and sharpenthe edge of said blade as said tool is drawn along said blade.
 2. Thetool of claim 1 wherein said tool body is further defined as having afirst opening and a second opening, said first opening configured to beperpendicular to said tool body surface, said second opening configuredto be aligned at an angle to said tool body surface; said first grindingsurface is further defined as having a first grinding wheel having anopening therethrough, and a first fastener extending through the openingwithin said first grinding wheel and said first opening in said toolbody securing said first grinding wheel to said tool body; said secondgrinding surface is further defined as having a second grinding wheelhaving an opening therethrough, and a second fastener extending throughthe opening within said second grinding wheel and said second opening insaid tool body securing said first grinding wheel to said tool body.